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Joh Wins Twice to Advance to USWAPL Finals

UCLA golfer Tiffany Joh advanced to the finals of the 30th Annual U.S. Women's Amateur Publinks Championship with a pair of match play victories Saturday at Walking Stick GC in Pueblo, Colo.

Saturday afternoon Joh won her fifth straight match play duel, beating Sara Brown of Tucson, Ariz., 3 and 2. She built an early 2-up lead on Brown through six holes, draining a 25-footer at the par-3 sixth to take the two-hole advantage. Brown got one back at the par-3 12th when she made a 6-footer for birdie, but at the par-5 13th, her 5-iron second shot bounced onto the green and then rolled over the back edge into a water hazard. She eventually conceded Joh's eagle putt, then lost 15 to another bogey when her second shot to the par 5 found the hazard in front of the green.

'I kind of feel like hiding in a truck and getting a paper bag and just breathing really deeply,' said Joh about playing Kim in the final. 'Just getting to the finals is a really big accomplishment for me.

'I know [Kim] is a great player. I know she bombs it. I know she's a great putter. I know it's going to be next to impossible to beat her tomorrow. I know she's not going to be opening any doors. I am definitely not going to be winning any holes with pars.'

Joh won 3 and 2 in her morning quarterfinal meeting with 16-year old Maria Jose Uribe of Colombia to advance to the semifinals in the afternoon. The 19 year old also defeated Juli Wightman of Chiopee, MA, 5 and 4 late Friday in the round of 16 to advance to Saturday's quarterfinal match.